Envelop-sealer.



A. OLSON. ENVELOP SEALER.

APPLICATION FILED APBnll, 1911.

Patented 'Apr.22; 1913.

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ENVELOP SEALER.

APPLICATION FILED APRJI, 1911.

Patented Apr. 22,1913.

2 sums-111mm a.

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Mme/q UNITED STATES PATENT v ENVELOP-SEALEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

Application filed April 11, 1911.1 Serial at. 620,844. 1

.v To all whom it may concern certain new and useful Improvements inEnvelop-Sealers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in envelop sealers, and has for itsleadlng object the provision of an improved device for manualoperation'which will serve to both moisten the gummed fiap of theenvelop and to press the same down t ghtly against the body of theenvelop to seal the same.

A further object of my; invention is the rovision of an envelop sealingdevice havmg a-tank for containing the moistenmg fluid and having meansflow of said fluid to the moistener, whereby said moistener will beprovided with the necessary supply of fluid to keep the same in amoistened but not soaked condition whether the same is used slowly or ata high rate of speed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple andefficient envelop mois tener having improvedmeans for guiding the flapof the envelop between the moistener and the pressing finger whichserves to press said flap into sealed position.

Other objects and advantages of my improved envelop sealer will beapparent from the following description taken in connectionwvith thedrawings, and it will be understood that I may make any modifications insaid construction within the scope of the claims without departing fromor exceeding the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved device. Fig; 2represents a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of theblank from which the lower portion of my device is formed. Fig. 4represents a cross sectional view of the device. Fig. 5 represents alongitudinal sectionalview thereof, and Fig. 6 represents a view of thedevice in use.

In the drawings, .the numeral 1 designates the inclined tubular handleof my sealer which is adapted to serve as a tank to contain the waterfor moistening the gummed flap of the envelop, said tank having aconstricted lower end 2and having. fitting on its upper end the screwcap orcover 3 for regulating the which serves as a closure for the upperend ofthe handle and prevents the escape of the fluid therefrom.

Secured to the lower constricted end2iof the .tubular handle is thesheet metal member 4 formed from. the blank shown in Fig. 3. Byreference to said figure itlwill be seen that said blank comprises thelarge portion 5 having the central recess 6 formed thereinand scoredreawardly from said recess at 7 to facilitate the bending thereof, whileformed on the forward ed e of the smaller portion 8 of the blankfld]3.0811i7 the recess is the lug or flange 9 adapted to be stampedupward. Inpthe formation of the member first bent on the scoring 7 toprovide two flat portions which are then curved in opposite directionsaround a suitable metal form which is of the same shape as the completedmember 4, the smaller portion 8 of the blank being curved and pressedaround the lower portion of the form to provide a flattened tube, therecess 6 providing an opening at. the lower end of the upper faceclosure at the bottom, a sponge 10 being engaged in the tube thusprovided and having a portion projecting upwardthrough theopeningprovided by the recess 6.

The larger portion 5 of the blank is curved around the upper portion ofthe form and has its ends rolled together to provide a rounded dependingpresser foot or finger 11 which projects over and beyond the Spongecontaining tube, whereby the finger will engage. the flap of the envelopto press it down into sealed position after the sponge has engaged theunder side or gummed face of the envelop and moistened said gummedsurface.

To control the supply of water to the sponge, I pass through the rearend of the. member 4 the needle valve 12 having its point projectinginto the discharge tube 13 attached to the lower constricted end 2 ofthe tube 1, said tube preferably extending into engagement with thesponge 10, al-

charged directly into the rear portion of the member 4 and run along thebottom thereof into the sponge.

\Vhcn it is desired to additionally strengthen my envelop sealing deviceand facilitate the operation of the but slight pressure, I may moldthereinthe though if desired, the liquid may be disfirfger 11 with a 4from the said blank, the blank is of the tube, while the flange 9forms-a lead filling 14 which-serves to increase the weight of thefinger and to strengthen it against buckling under pressure.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings,and construction and operation of my envelop. sealing device will bereadily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided a simple,and eflicient device 'havinga central recess into' which the flap of theenvelop is adapted to fit, there being a sponge supporting memberbeneath the recess to which water is fed from the handle of the device,the sponge moistened by said water in turn moisteningthe gummed flap ofthe envelop,

while above said recess and 'dependingbeyond the sponge is a presserfinger which serves to force the flap down into closed sealed position,the shape of the recess being such as to insure the correct positioningof the envelop flap to be moistened and engaged by the pressing finger.

I claim:

An envelop sealer, comprising a tubular handle member, a sealing membersecured to the lower end of the handle and having 7 ally beyond thesponge, said 'finger being spaced from the reservoir, the Sflld fingerand the reservoir portion being; connected by a diagonally disposedacute angled portion of material and adapted to close the space upon oneside, and so disposed that when the device is run along the flap of anenvelop with the edge of the flap in the" 40 be in correct position tofirst ,moist'en thef space the sponge and resser finger will flap andthen press the same into sealing engagement with the envelop. V

In testimonywhereof I affix-my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

ABEL OLSON.

Witnesses:

LILIAN C. MACLEOD,

MAY E. SMITH.

